Forgotten

The Dreamscape began to warp, Mithra's spatial senses pushed to their limit. Ten meters beyond her, distance became almost impossible to judge.

She surged forward, her staff transforming into a sword, one hand wielding a hammer, slaughtering countless fire spirits in a whirlwind of motion.

Flames dissipated and reformed, shattered skeletons reassembled; there was no end in sight.

Mithra, trampling flames and bones, raced towards Carazo. Fire spirits endlessly spawned, falling and rising in a relentless tide against her, while she fought and ran.

Numerous wounds blossomed across her body, the flames burning her will, unsettling her spirit. The bloodlust of the beast and The Stranger's fury surged within her.

"Open wide, eat."

Her vision completely obscured by the mass of fire spirits, finding no opening, Mithra's steps never faltered; instead, she calmly spoke.

"Hungry…!"

The tongue shot out, piercing her chest and extending outwards.

The Maw contained another True Spiritfire seed; while unable to digest it, simply holding it allowed The Maw to forcibly manipulate a portion of its essence. Combined with the many seeds consumed before, The Maw directly channeled True Spiritfire power.

True Spiritfire adhered to her tongue, swiftly clearing the surrounding fire spirits, forging a path for Mithra.

The influence of Carazo's True Spiritfire on Mithra's will was dispelled. She pressed her attack, reaching Carazo.

Carazo roared, striking with a mighty blow. Miraculous intent and True Spiritfire aided each other, his claws and fangs a ferocious onslaught against Mithra.

True Spiritfire clung to the hammer, fiercely resisting. In her other hand, the staff-sword repeatedly separated, transforming into a whip of blades. Darkness coalesced in her palm, aimed at Carazo.

At that moment, the fire tiger battling Mithra exploded, engulfing both her and Carazo.

Mithra's body, wrapped in flames, tumbled across the ground before rising, ignoring the fire; this was a time for burning.

Carazo remained unscathed.

Ordinary miraculous flames would injure a fire believer, but clearly the True Spiritfire seed transcended this lowly "self-harm."

"Aaaagh!" Carazo clutched his head, screaming in pain.

The surrounding illusory scene shifted with this cry and the twisting air from the surrounding flames.

The burning ruins of Ember City transformed into another scene, seemingly a small town.

Mountains and rivers were clear, the wind gentle, a stark contrast to the burning city.

Mithra had just turned to look when a fireball hurtled towards her.

Parrying the fireball with her staff, Mithra looked at Carazo: "Isn't this a memory kill? Do memory kills still fight?"

But Carazo seemed further enraged, his fiery assault intensified. A terrifying inferno forced Mithra to retreat, even The Maw offering little aid against this onslaught.

However, these flames didn't harm the surrounding scene, seeming separated from it.

In the distance, Liyu stood within the scene, gazing around.

In the quaint little town, villagers lived peaceful lives, their laughter and chatter filling the air, a picture of idyllic serenity.

She saw Carazo, but a different Carazo, one existing within this scene.

His hair was not yet dyed red, clad in simple clothes, walking with his three children. He had two daughters and a son.

His life, though ordinary, was happy.

Even though his wife had passed away early, he diligently raised his three children. He bravely faced the pain of his wife's death and boldly embraced the future.

Initial hardships couldn't break him; he believed things would get better.

Then, one day, he was engulfed by fire.

...

Mithra, cloaked in flames, pierced Carazo's inferno, the burning and rebirth a constant battle upon her. Her visage was ferocious, like a demon.

Carazo tried to block her, but Mithra's hammer shattered his hand. Her staff-sword followed, slicing a bloody gash across his chest.

At that moment, the scene shifted.

The peaceful idyllic landscape returned to burning devastation, but this time it wasn't Ember City, but the small town where Carazo had once lived.

"No… no… don't do this… My daughters… my son… Finn… no…" Carazo knelt, tears falling and instantly evaporating.

His pleas only fueled the flames erupting from his body.

Mithra waded through a sea of fire; countless fire spirits, humanoid in form, grasped at her, pulling her to the ground.

Liyu's pupils violently trembled. She saw the figure standing amidst the burning town's ruins; it was "Carazo," transformed into the red-haired Carazo.

His face was demonic, flames consuming everything around him; charred corpses littered the town.

Children cried before him, their wails driving him further into a frenzy of destruction.

The flames consumed all.

Liyu watched, her limbs freezing, a trembling sound escaping her lips.

That "Carazo's" back, in her eyes, blurred, becoming long-haired Jason, becoming all the fire seeds she'd encountered along the way.

Finally, it became herself.

The figure turned.

The red-haired "Liyu," eyes icy cold, looked at her. The burned landscape was no longer Carazo's town, but a city on Lam Tinh.

Fathers, mothers, grandfathers, grandmothers… all her relatives, their burned bodies beneath her feet…

"A… I… burned… everyone…" Liyu clutched her head, collapsing to the ground.

...

The Maw, its fiery tongue lashing out, shredded and devoured the fire spirits clinging to Mithra, coating her in a layer of charcoal. She crawled and then lunged forward, repeatedly using Enlightened Step.

The Maw's tongue deposited the hammer and staff back into Mithra's hands.

Mithra casually retracted the weapons into her body, then clapped her hands—Abyssal Darkness!

Massive amounts of Ki rapidly burned; black smoke and white lightning, centered on her, erupted outward, engulfing Carazo.

Carazo, ravaged by the Abyssal power, rapidly suffered massive wounds.

The scene shifted again.

The peaceful town was restored, only to be destroyed moments later, then restored again…

The cycle continued, the shifts relentless. Peace and destruction rapidly interchanged, Carazo's pained roars growing louder; even with his voice hoarse, he continued his anguished cries.

Then, a flower of flame bloomed.

[Nirvana Bloom: A Fire Miracle. It is said Salutisas perished, then reborn from the ashes of destruction. This miracle imitates that legend. Destructive flames and the flower of life intertwine, creating this miraculous fire miracle, reversing life and death in a cycle of rebirth.]

His wounds rapidly healed under this flame, transforming into fuel for destruction, engulfing Mithra.

A fire miracle that converts self-harm into powerful outward damage.

Mithra again burned more sense; Abyssal Darkness returned!

Black smoke and white lightning clashed violently with the flower of flame.

Cracks appeared in the illusory space.

Mithra, sweating profusely, used the openings to replenish Stabilize, but the continuous burning of sense still left her mind briefly overwhelmed, making Stabilize difficult to maintain.

"Then…" Mithra drew her Unsheathed Staff, transforming it into a refined blade, and slashed at her right arm.

Swish!

Blood sprayed.

[Price: You have lost your right arm…]

The remaining embers and dust gathered around Mithra's severed arm.

The Miracle Prosthetic, returned.

Transferring the Unsheathed Staff to the prosthetic, under its influence, Mithra's mind was forcibly maintained at peak clarity and functionality.

Eyes bloodshot, Mithra looked at Carazo.

"Don't fear, I'll end your suffering."

Mithra adopted a stance, her staff-sword pointed forward, her hand resting on the darkness in her palm.

The moment the flames spiraled in, she moved.

Lightning followed her blurred movements. Carazo's flames were shattered by Mithra's strikes, barely able to coalesce on a large scale.

It was just the darkness in her palm, but combined with the high-speed movement of Enlightened Step and the prosthetic's relentless swordplay, she practically carved a path of Abyssal Darkness.

Slash!

Carazo couldn't react; his limbs, joints, and vital points were pierced and severed.

The moment Mithra ruthlessly severed his neck, the flames even failed to consume her body.

"Just a vessel," Mithra said, putting distance between them, the intense heat quickly building.

It was coming again.

Nirvana Bloom!

Previous non-lethal wounds could trigger such a massive Nirvana Flame; what kind of inferno would fatal injuries across his body unleash?

A gigantic flower completely overwhelmed the chaotic illusory scene, its blooming flames like petals, like an erupting volcano.

Reinforce Body operated at peak efficiency, now forcibly manipulated and analyzed by the Miracle Prosthetic as a model for a countermeasure. It wasn't some powerful miracle.

It was Elise, her icy twin blades whirling like a bird in flight.

Sleeping Technique.

Mithra didn't possess that strange ability, but the Miracle Prosthetic forced her to recall, analyze, and mimic it.

Miraculous Intent!

Mithra herself hadn't learned this miracle; the Miracle Prosthetic forced her to use it, mimicking Elise! Though Mithra's crippled bird only had "one wing," it was enough.

A terrifyingly fast sword dance bloomed.

The Abyssal miracle helped her pierce the flames' weaknesses; her agile form weaved through the gaps between "petals."

Icy black, the beak of a bird pierced the magnificent flower.

In an instant, Mithra had passed through the Nirvana Bloom. The flames that scorched her left a long trail behind her, like a beautiful ice ribbon, like a fiery cloak.

Carazo's wounds didn't heal.

Though the True Spiritfire seed was still connected to his body, the Nirvana Bloom's reversal wasn't fully effective, especially the fatal wounds to his chest and neck; they remained unrepaired.

The Abyssal miracle, coupled with the wounds inflicted by the Miracle Prosthetic, prevented him from acting.

It was time to end it.

At that moment, Mithra paused.

The Miracle Prosthetic rapidly transmitted a warning signal to Mithra.

Mithra ignored it, because before her stood Carazo. Not the frenzied, empty vessel, but the Carazo who had vanished before her.

The ordinary Carazo, standing beside the frenzied one, who looked like a lamb awaiting slaughter.

"Illusory Cycle," Mithra said, the Miracle Prosthetic helping her perceive and analyze more information within the illusion: "The Flamescape hasn't only activated once. The previous activation was for you, to tear apart your spirits, to turn you into fire seeds. The agonizing cycle, the endless torment, the experiences you've had while forgetting your past, all exist here."

Carazo didn't immediately respond.

"Have you seen your children again? The experiences within the illusion are only illusions; they should still be alive," Mithra asked.

"Each illusory scene makes us experience a life as real as any other," Carazo finally replied, his expression calm.

"We've gone through countless cycles. Our experiences have completely changed our faces, leaving them ferocious. Most people despair; they go mad. Even with most memories lost, even if only a trace of familiarity remains, they've changed from their original forms into murderous lunatics."

Mithra faced him.

"The young woman and I are different; even with our memory loss, we haven't become as extreme. Perhaps we are simply weaker, unable to muster the will for revenge against this painful world."

The frenzied Carazo, for some reason, froze, his body violently trembling. Even with the True Spiritfire seed manipulating his body, it strangely struggled to function.

"I've been trapped in this cycle, but I couldn't help but regain my senses… because in one reincarnation, I can't quite remember which one, my daughter, my little girl, said to me, out of control, that she believed I was still her great father."

Tears streamed down Carazo's face.

This time, the intense heat didn't evaporate his tears. Mithra couldn't distinguish whether they were real or imagined; the tears slowly dripped onto the ground.

"I can't… I can't… I remember… I should remember… even though I can barely distinguish reality from illusion, I want to protect this world for my children. I want to stop other fires… I should do that, I can't let the events of the cycle actually happen… but… I'm sorry, Mithra, I'm so sorry… the fire seeds coalesced within me… the memories of the cycle surged… I lost control, I became a demon."

Carazo's voice was hoarse.

Mithra looked at him and said, "But you still warned me, told me to stay away from your uncontrolled self, just as you warned me to stay away from your fire seeds when we first met. And now, you too have risen, intending to stop your uncontrolled self."

Carazo shook his head, speechless for a moment.

Mithra's right arm was fully restored; the Miracle Prosthetic had silently dissipated. She raised her staff-sword.

"I will tell your children."

Her voice remained cold, her inky black eyes showing an unfathomable stillness.

Carazo offered a final, sorrowful smile, pointing at his frenzied self.

She delivered a single blow.

The countless cyclical scenes abruptly ceased, reverting to the initial burning landscape of Ember City.

Mithra, with a detached air, briefly observed the fallen corpse before turning away.

Her steps were still unsteady; the aftereffects of prolonged use of the Miracle Prosthetic, while suppressing the instability, were causing some discomfort.

After the illusory cycle consumed the fire seeds and she returned to reality, how could she know if this "reality" wasn't just the next illusion? Having experienced countless self-inflicted memory destructions, how could she possibly discern the ratio of truth to falsehood?

Mithra didn't experience the illusions personally; she couldn't imagine, couldn't empathize.

"Aaaagh!!!"

Suddenly, a scream of pain erupted.

Mithra turned to see Liyu kneeling on the ground, clutching her head and howling.

"Liyu…"

As Mithra was about to call to her, a sense of danger struck.

She spun, her staff swinging, only to be blocked by a tall, powerfully built man in a long robe.

The man's expression was calm; he was somewhat surprised by Mithra's swift reaction.

"Who are you?" Mithra asked indifferently.

"Infeder, a Priest of the Fire Worship Sect," the man replied slowly.

"Ah," Mithra responded, immediately unleashing Abyssal Darkness.

After the black smoke and white lightning wreaked havoc, Mithra looked towards Infeder, who had put distance between them. One of the man's arms had been consumed by the Abyssal Darkness, yet his expression remained impassive.

Immediately, numerous figures appeared beside him.

All were members of the Fire Worship Sect.

Flickering flames danced; Infeder's severed arm had regenerated. Gently grasping his new limb, Infeder looked at Mithra: "Both target fire seeds are in your possession. I don't want to waste too much energy. Hand them over."

Pausing, he glanced towards Liyu, not far behind Mithra: "And her. Give them to us. We'll dispel the illusion, leave the Skyfall mountain range, and cause no further disturbance."

Mithra remained silent.

Infeder continued: "I've witnessed your battle; you are incredibly strong, possessing incredible secrets. But we only pursue the flames; we have no designs on you. You are an Enchanting Land native; fighting to this extent for Ember City and its people is worthy of awe and respect. Stopping here benefits both of us."

"Precisely because I'm not from here, and I'm not fighting for them, I have no reason to accept your terms on their behalf," Mithra said.

Infeder disagreed: "You can be. After this, you'll be Ember City's savior. They'll praise you for rescuing them; perhaps they'll even erect statues in your honor."

"I don't want to be that savior."

"Then you intend to become the trigger for its destruction," Infeder stated impassively.

Mithra tilted her head, questioning. Not saving equaled destruction? Was that a bit of an overstatement?

"Because you've battled the True Spiritfire seed, this illusion is collapsing, but 'collapse' isn't 'dispel.' This illusion, built between reality and falsehood, under our influence and your actions, will collapse towards the real world."

Mithra glanced around.

"This burning Ember City will collapse into reality," Infeder's voice echoed through the surrounding flames, narrating a terrifying future.

"The two fire seeds in your possession, plus that unique Enchanting Land fire type, can shift the direction of the collapse, causing this illusion to collapse towards the illusory side. Everything that happened here would then be just a dream, a bad one."

"She is meant to be the conduit for True Spiritfire; True Spiritfire is meant to burn in our hands."

"Besides, you have no other choice."

"Ah," Mithra replied calmly once more, raising her staff; black Ki began to emanate from her body.

Recently depleted by the Miracle Prosthetic, she felt exhausted, the use of the Abyssal miracle having taken a significant toll. Even Mithra, usually functioning like a machine, could no longer sustain further combat.

Without a word, The Stranger prepared to act.

Infeder's face turned grave; all the Fire Worship Sect members seemed to sense an ominous sign and grew tense.

Rip rip—

Suddenly, detailed cracks appeared in the illusion, mainly concentrated around Mithra, also engulfing Liyu behind her.

Mithra froze; the Fire Worship Sect members also reacted with surprise.

Infeder's face showed horror, realizing something: "It's awake?"

As the words left his mouth, the ground beneath Mithra and Liyu instantly crumbled, revealing a bottomless chasm; they fell.

The Fire Worship Sect members rushed forward, but the illusion began to violently fluctuate, ejecting all physically present entities, including the Sect members.

They were thrown from the illusion, back to the raging inferno; several disciples vomited blood upon their arrival, collapsing dead.

Other disciples immediately checked them, then looked up at Infeder: "Sir! The illusion controllers… all dead!"

Infeder frowned.

"We haven't obtained the True Spiritfire seeds, and the illusion is completely beyond our control!" someone cried out.

Infeder looked at the raging flames: "There are remaining fire seeds in the illusion. The Lyre of Fire illusion's anomaly doesn't affect the fire seeds from the same origin; we still have a chance to create a third True Spiritfire."

"But we've lost control of the illusion; even producing a third one would make it difficult to seize!" his subordinate urged.

"Gather as many life flames as possible. No need for multiple awakenings; use them to try and force open the illusion." Pausing, Infeder continued, "If the life flames are insufficient, then burn the real Ember City directly and collect some more."

...

Leo Duncan and Nie Hong opened their eyes, scrambling to their feet. They found themselves no longer in the small room where they'd last rested within the illusion, but back in reality, on a street.

"We're out?" Nie Hong said.

"Looks like we got lucky," Leo Duncan replied, then checked his and Nie Hong's injuries.

Perhaps due to the peculiar nature of the illusion, they still bore wounds, but they weren't as severe as after their previous battles. Nie Hong's injuries might leave some scarring; Leo Duncan didn't need to worry too much.

Before they could celebrate, however, a dazzling blaze of light from the sky captured their attention.

They looked up, then fell momentarily silent, stunned by the sight.

A massive fireball, large enough to encompass all of Ember City, burned above the city, like a red sky of fire. They could vaguely see the destruction of Ember City reflected within the flames.

"That's…" Nie Hong whispered.

"It's the illusion; what's going on? We're out of the illusion, but the illusion itself still exists above Ember City? What will happen next?" Leo Duncan noticed the implications, sensing something ominous.

The surrounding sounds grew chaotic; clearly, they weren't the only ones exiting the illusion. And the massive anomaly hanging high above the city was clearly causing widespread panic.

"Where's Mithra?" Nie Hong suddenly turned, only to find Mithra gone.

Originally, the three of them should have been together.

Leo Duncan looked around, also unable to find Mithra: "She's not nearby. Did she leave early, or did something happen preventing her from getting out?"

"What do we do now?" Nie Hong didn't panic but asked pragmatically.

Leo Duncan thought briefly: "Let's get out of Ember City first. I think, from this position, we should just leave the city directly. Trying to reach a teleportation point would probably be deadly; there'll be a lot of people heading for those."

Staying in Ember City was definitely not a good option.

Their location wasn't far from the city gate, making it the best escape route. Having made their decision, they immediately headed for it.

However, upon reaching the city gate, the sight before them was terrifying.

Ember City's gate and a large section of the walls were reduced to rubble, a scene of utter chaos.

They weren't the only ones trying to escape through the gate; many others were also attempting to retreat, only to be stopped by this sight.

Beyond the city gate was a wall of fire, cutting off contact with the outside world.

In the distance, they could see intense fighting in the mountains outside the city.

Leo Duncan looked for a moment and said, "On one side are Planet Blue stationed troops and the Sanctuary forces; on the other… the Fire Worship Sect… Of course. Those infamous pyromaniacs from the Dreamlands are here."

The two sides were clashing around Ember City.

The Sanctuary forces were attempting to enter Ember City, while the Planet Blue soldiers provided support and assistance.

Within Ember City, Planet Blue soldiers were maintaining order, helping Planet Blue citizens evacuate and protecting the locals.

Escaping directly through the city gates was hopeless; they could only wait for the teleportation.

Even though there were numerous teleportation points, the city was now crowded with countless Planet Blue citizens. Escaping safely amidst the chaos wouldn't be easy.

Suddenly, a massive pillar of flame erupted from the Skyfire Fallen Lands in the mountains to the far north, drawing everyone's attention.

The pillar of flame clashed with the illusory flames in the sky, seemingly engaged in a conflict.

During this clash, the illusory flames in the sky fluctuated violently and began to descend!

If these flames fell directly, the Ember City reflected in the illusory flames might become reality!

The people of Ember City despaired at this sight.

Planet Blue citizens could still use teleportation to escape, but those from the Dreamlands had nowhere to flee.

...

An intense feeling of weightlessness; she was falling.

Mithra glanced beside her at Liyu, also falling, and grabbed her long hair—the closest thing she could reach.

With a tug, she pulled Liyu closer, then grasped her collar.

The chaotic scenery around them gradually transformed into a fiery red; the Maw extended its tongue, enveloping Mithra and Liyu.

Thump!

Shortly after, they landed.

The Maw retracted its tongue, quickly closing and disappearing. After its battle with Carazo, it had expended most of its energy; combined with its indulgence in the Lyre of Fire illusion, it hadn't gathered much energy and didn't want to linger outside any longer.

Casually tossing the dazed Liyu aside, Mithra looked around.

She was in a sea of fire; flowing magma was beneath her feet, but it was illusory, not real. Aside from the heat, Mithra felt no discomfort.

Suddenly, the magma near Mithra surged, and a massive crimson-scaled serpent emerged.

Its head alone cast a shadow over Mithra; its golden eyes looked down, cold reptilian gaze meeting Mithra's.

["Serpent of Envious Sins," Saluenves: The crimson serpent of sin possesses flames symbolic of original sin, feared by countless lives; it is a cursed thing. The Flame Father conquers sin, subduing the crimson serpent beneath his feet. When the "Flame Father" pillar rises, these serpents become its "burden bearers."]

...

Burden Bearers.

Even from the literal meaning, it was clear that these were beings intimately connected to the Pillar Gods of legend.

Mithra had encountered a burden bearer before, the "Herald of Eternal Night" in the Eternal Night world. Its immense size and overwhelming presence had been Mithra's first true encounter with a glimpse of the power behind the scenes.

Now, unexpectedly, she encountered a second one.

Compared to the Herald, the crimson serpent, only showing its head, was more approachable, and the information it conveyed was far clearer than that of the Herald.

Though it still exerted immense pressure, it was far more manageable than that bizarre Herald.

"What is your relationship with my master?" the great serpent hissed, emitting an indistinct sound.

"I've never even received a reward from your boss; the relationship isn't very strong."

Crimson Serpent:?

I'm asking a serious question; what are you talking about?

Mithra replenished her Stabilize, then continued, "If you have something to say, just say it."

"My flames, corrupted by others, were utterly shattered; your rampage startled me awake. Compared to those others, I prefer to observe you up close," the crimson serpent said.

"Oh, I'm sorry?" Mithra turned and apologized.

"It's alright. I smell many things on you, including my master. Tsk tsk, if you had walked the earth during that age, you'd have been mistaken for a primordial god incarnate."

"Primordial god?" Mithra noted the new term.

"You don't know? It seems a long time has passed. They were this world's original deities, the very pillars of creation. There's not much to say. Even enveloped by my flames, my current strength can't fully protect you, a mere mortal," the crimson serpent said.

Its tone was thoughtful, yet tinged with apprehension.

"The Flamescape… is it yours?" Mithra, paying it little mind, immediately asked what she wanted to know.

"The illusory flames are a unique transformation of my master's combined flames and myself. That humans have secretly obtained and used me—how incredible! Ha ha, considering the methods my master employed, I'm not surprised. After my master's descent, he only lost twice. Defeated by Lebaance, my master's rebirth after death led to full awakening and the creation of 'The Pillar.' But his defeat by humanity resulted in his complete disappearance, leaving his creations for humanity to endlessly enjoy…"

The crimson serpent casually revealed a significant secret.

The previous description of the Nirvana Bloom miracle mentioned Salutisas had died and been reborn.

So, apparently, that death was at the hands of Lebaance?

Lebaance was powerful.

"You're saying this in front of me; your master might hear you," Mithra pointed out.

"It doesn't matter; the master isn't petty. My illusory flames are often used by the master to vent his frustrations; I don't know how many times they've been torn apart… Though, this seems to be my final incarnation. Ha ha."

Amidst the laughter, it mentioned something rather grim; Mithra wasn't sure what was so funny about this being its last incarnation.

Having said that, the serpent looked towards Liyu behind Mithra: "The master's flames, combined with mine, created the illusory flames. And my illusory flames, influenced by later generations, have undergone new transformations; the blurry line between reality and illusion is a fascinating property."

"Speaking of which, someone said your illusion is collapsing." Mithra brought up Infeder's earlier words.

After listening, the serpent flicked its tongue: "I can't say for sure, but the illusion's collapse is real. The modified illusion contains an unpredictable amount of power; after the collapse, if not deliberately controlled, that power will likely pour directly into reality."

"That guy wasn't lying, then," Mithra said.

"But if they wanted to, they could have adjusted the illusion to collapse towards the illusory side from the beginning. It seems they deliberately decided to create this dangerous situation. Ha ha, humans are so insidious." The serpent chuckled darkly.

"Ah," Mithra replied impassively.

Suddenly, the serpent paused: "Ah, my illusion is being invaded; the target is the newly generated fire seed within the illusion."

"What? How many redundancies did they leave?" Mithra exclaimed.

She had the Maw consume a significant number of fire seeds; the unexpected events in the illusion only increased the number, ultimately yielding three fire seeds.

Mithra possessed two; there was one more.

Their preparations were thorough. Years of plotting couldn't be thwarted by an outsider's sudden appearance and a few variables.

"What do you intend to do?" the serpent asked Mithra.

"I intend to kill them," Mithra replied simply and earnestly.

"Why? As an outsider, you seem unconcerned with what's happening here. You said you didn't want to save this place."

"There's no special reason. A kind person was killed before me, and I intend to kill them for it," Mithra replied indifferently.

"Ha ha, simple and decisive; not a bad answer," the serpent laughed.

Mithra looked around: "If there's nothing else, let me go. I'm in a bit of a hurry."

"Ah, alright. Just wait a little while, until I completely vanish," the crimson serpent said casually.

"Huh?" Mithra looked at it in surprise.

"Nothing surprising; I'm an old timer from ages past, after all? Finally getting to see the little master is delightful. Ha ha, though your relationship with the master doesn't seem that close, it doesn't matter. Thank you for letting me smell my master's scent again."

Mithra remained silent.

An unexpected meeting, then a mumbled disappearance.

"Though I don't know what your master's plans are, I wish you all the best in the future. If I'd met you earlier, I could have left the illusory flames with you. As it is, if you want, you can try to collect them outside, ha ha!" The crimson serpent's body began to melt.

Molten lava flowed from its scales; its body gradually dissolved.

"… Farewell," Mithra said.

"Yes, farewell, little master."

With those words, the serpent completely transformed into lava, sinking into the magma below; there was no further movement.

The surrounding scenery remained unchanged; it seemed she needed to wait a while.

Only now did she have time to turn to Liyu, who remained silent and lost in thought.

"Can you stand?"

"…Kill me…" Liyu's response was a whispered sob.

Mithra approached, stopping before her, looking down at her cowering form in the magma.

"The fire seeds… all went mad… they were, Carazo was, I was… I'll burn everything… I've burned everything… killing family, friends… repeatedly, repeatedly… countless times…"

She had recovered her memories.

Mithra realized this, perhaps due to the echoes of Carazo's True Spiritfire or some shift in the illusion.

Even without fully gathering the fire seeds, Liyu still recovered her memories.

"I don't deserve to live. I can't guarantee when I'll become like… Mr. Carazo… even such a strong person became like that, and I… a useless person like me… can only…"

Mithra kicked her out of her curled position, seeing her tear-streaked face.

"How many lives do you have left?" Mithra asked, ignoring Liyu's rambling.

"I still have… a life lock…"

As the words left her lips, a hammer fell upon her head, shattering her skull.

...

Liyu opened her eyes. The surrounding landscape was still a sea of fire and magma, but Mithra was picking up a fire seed beside her.

"As expected, even life lock can expel something like this," Mithra said casually.

"That's…" Liyu's eyes widened in surprise, staring at Mithra.

Mithra held up the fire seed: "Your great misfortune is over. Without this, you wouldn't be a fire seed again, and you wouldn't be the thing that caused countless cycles of destruction."

Liyu stared blankly at Mithra.

So… all her suffering, the near-collapse she experienced upon recovering her memories, was solved by simply dying once?

"Good. Go rest, dream pleasant dreams, no more need to worry about terrifying things. Be a normal girl, live a peaceful life on Planet Blue," Mithra said, standing.

Liyu, after a moment of stupor, asked, "What about the illusion?"

"I'll figure something out. Even if I don't, it's fine; I don't have to save anyone. As long as I can catch the Fire Worship Sect, they must die," Mithra said casually.

"What should we do? If I'm no longer a fire seed… that person said they needed me as a conduit." After dying once and the fire seed leaving her, Liyu's spirit had somewhat stabilized.

The collapse had been interrupted; the life lock's renewal included some degree of mental repair, though limited.

"They don't necessarily need you. They've prepared extensively; even without you, they'll find another suitable conduit."

Having said that, Mithra had the Mouth expel the two True Spiritfire seeds it had previously collected.

"Perhaps, I can even give it a try myself."

[Event — "Flame Father"]

[Salutisas's Gift: Even as embers, you can become a Flame Father. Price: As embers and ash, you must burn vast quantities of matter to sustain your existence, particularly life and spirit… though not necessarily your own.]

[Accept?]

Salutisas had finally appeared.

And this activated gift directly made Mithra a Flame Father. Although the description indicated she wouldn't reach Salutisas's level, she'd become an ember, a remnant.

As for the Price, understanding it as requiring sacrifice was probably accurate.

If she became a Flame Father, Mithra felt she'd likely become a more suitable conduit for these fire seeds. Once she absorbed the fire seeds and gathered true True Spiritfire, she should be able to handle the external illusion.

She wondered what changes becoming a Flame Father and a True Spiritfire conduit would bring.

From what she'd witnessed, Salutisas's influence on the Fire Spirits made them akin to Pokémon Eevee.

Adapting to different environments, they evolved into different forms, developing different properties and abilities.

If her strange transformative abilities were added to the True Spiritfire's creation, further changes were likely.

"You're going to do it?!" Liyu suddenly cried out.

Mithra glanced at her: "Yes, though I don't particularly value my own well-being. Considering the worst-case scenario, I'm probably the only one who can solve this."

"No… no…" Liyu, sitting on the ground, shifted closer to Mithra, grasping her pant leg: "If you become a fire seed, you'll experience the same thing. It's not just about mental strength; the fire seed will burn your will… weren't you scorched terribly before?"

"It doesn't matter; let's try it first. Stay back; you don't have powerful miraculous flames yet, don't get burned." Mithra tried to put some distance between himself and Liyu.

She didn't think Liyu was truly weak.

Even someone like Carazo had their will nearly extinguished by the illusory cycle. Regardless of whether Liyu was truly weak or simply lacked willpower, she hadn't been affected by her past selves in the cycle.

In fact, she had the courage to wander, somewhat dazed, through the Flamescape, searching for lost memories.

As a mere student, she'd already endured much; she didn't deserve more harsh judgment.

Mithra appreciated kind people. Without them, she would lose faith in the world and society, potentially making unpleasant decisions or taking regrettable actions.

Liyu had helped her when she was unconscious; even though it was insignificant to Mithra, she willingly helped her search for her memories.

Even if those memories weren't pleasant.

And now, Liyu had recovered her memories and made her decision; Mithra naturally supported her.

After all, except for the Fire Worship Sect and those, like herself, caught in this fate, she felt everyone else was merely caught in the crossfire.

Having been freed from the fire seed, Liyu was no longer inextricably linked to the events. Though she might still suffer from her memories, have nightmares, she had a long life ahead of her.

That was Mithra's simple and pure belief.

But Liyu didn't see it that way.

Her eyes were vacant, her voice low: "It can't be like this…"

"Huh?" Mithra turned to her.

"You can't go; let me go," Liyu said, standing, looking at Mithra.

"…No need. You don't have any obligation to do so." Mithra thought for a moment.

"But you, Mithra, you don't have any obligation to save this city unrelated to you, the people within… everyone is just a victim, why make such a painful choice?"

"It's not really painful, and I'll get used to it. Besides, Nie Hong and Leo Duncan are out there; they came to Ember City with me to have fun. It would be awkward to let them spend their holiday this way." Mithra said casually, her demeanor light.

But her impassive expression only intensified Liyu's pain.

Everyone was a victim, but she was broken. Compared to Carazo and Mithra, she was completely useless…

She saw the fire seed before Mithra; the image in her vision gradually faded.

Liyu seemed to return to the fiery ruins where she had stood countless times, witnessing the chaos she had created.

Yes, in her memories, no matter how many times she'd lost control, she could never calmly face her actions in the illusion, so real, the "reality" she'd burned with her own hands.

Cycle after cycle, her red-haired self could only weep amidst the ruins.

Nothing could be stopped, nothing could be changed. She could only cry, only beg for salvation.

Then, exhausted from crying, she'd drift into the next cycle, repeating endlessly.

There was no complete destruction, no vengeful frenzy.

No strong will to protect like Carazo, who'd endured so much.

And certainly no saintly sense of responsibility like Mithra's, who had no connection to her yet still acted as if it were her duty.

Despite witnessing so much, she could only weep, begging Mithra, so kind to her, to kill her.

Yet, when Mithra, because of her powerlessness, decided to shoulder the burden, she simply did nothing.

Persuaded to return to normalcy, to treat it all as a bad dream.

...

"What kind of waste am I?" The alluring red-haired figure, kneeling amidst the fiery ruins, whispered.

Expressing her own heart.

Why, in the illusion born before her under the influence of the True Spiritfire seed, did that red-haired phantom only have an icy gaze when looking at her?

In the end, did the powerless only hate their own helplessness?

Before Liyu's eyes, the red-haired figure slowly rose from amidst countless thoughts, turning to face her.

There was no expression, only a dull calmness, the same as Liyu's now.

They stood, selves facing selves, silently gazing at each other for a long time.

…

"I'm coming," Liyu repeated in a trembling voice.

Mithra looked at her, no longer trying to dissuade her: "Alright."

The brave deserved their rightful return.

Finally, after the crimson serpent's illusory flames truly dissipated, Mithra and Liyu returned to the Flamescape.

The burning Ember City within the illusion had become a sea of fire; all structures had collapsed into ruins. Extrapolating from this, the Flamescape itself seemed to be reaching a critical point.

Mithra and Liyu quickly headed towards a place where unusually intense flames were burning.

Liyu was unusually quiet on the way, only her slightly red eyes betraying any emotion.

"Don't worry; you'll hand yourself over. The Fire Worship Sect will be overjoyed, welcoming you with open arms," Mithra offered some comfort, though unsure if it would be effective.

Liyu glanced at her, saying nothing.

"As promised, after you're done, I'll kill you," Mithra added, this statement likely proving more effective for Liyu.

"Thank you," Liyu replied.

Finally, they saw a pillar of flame erupting into the sky. This pillar was like a drill boring through the Flamescape. Within the pillar of fire, the Fire Worship Sect members seemed to be retreating.

Mithra and Liyu pursued them, attracting the attention of the last group.

Upon seeing them, the members were clearly surprised.

Before they could react, Mithra aimed her staff at them; the blade repeatedly split, rotating outwards. The whip of blades transformed into an unpredictable white blur, sweeping over them.

The unprepared Fire Worship Sect members were sliced into pieces.

Liyu raised her hand; Falling Fire rapidly ascended, then descended upon the remaining members.

The Fire Worship Sect members were silenced before they could even scream.

...

Infeder tossed the Fire Believer, whose limbs were broken and still groaning, into the pillar of flame.

Immediately, though the pillar appeared unchanged externally, the True Spiritfire seed rapidly gained strength, transforming the burning life force into power to expand itself.

Seeing the flames were sufficient, he turned to another Fire Believer pinned to the ground: "A bit less than that Enchanting Land girl, but acceptable. Consider it an honor to become a conduit for a newborn flame, the path to miraculous deification. Since the Pillar Gods are gone, this is the peak of deification."

"Wandering God?" an untimely voice interrupted.

Infeder, surprised, looked towards the sound. Two figures suddenly leaped from the pillar of flame in the sky.

Mithra and Liyu descended; Liyu flung her hands, a dense mass of embers instantly transforming the mountaintop into a red "starscape."

A violent explosion occurred.

The Fire Worship Sect members, relying on their familiarity with miraculous flames, barely survived this sudden, violent attack, glancing at the white "lightning" as they fled into the darkness.

Darkness spread!

The "white lightning," a kind of Abyssal "light," spread rapidly through the real darkness. In terms of range and speed, this miracle was even more terrifying than "Abyssal Darkness," especially in dark environments.

Countless people were quickly struck by the white lightning, consumed by the abyss; their physical forms rapidly dissolved into nothingness.

Having thrown their opponents into disarray, Mithra and Liyu landed.

Infeder remained calm: "You escaped once, only to deliver yourselves to my door again?"

"Let's go," Mithra said, ignoring him, addressing Liyu.

Liyu nodded, without hesitation, rushing towards the towering pillar of flame.

This time, Infeder was genuinely shocked.

Should he intervene?

Liyu was the one who had previously obtained the fire seed that best matched the planned True Spiritfire. It was a pity she was an Enchanting Land native, likely adding variables; in fact, she had added many, but was still drawn into the plan.

However, the indirect approach had led to missed opportunities. Although the plan wasn't completely unforeseen, many unexpected events had occurred.

And now, the situation was taking an unexpected turn, moving from cumbersome compromises toward the best-case solution? She had even delivered herself to them?

He was certain; Liyu carried two other True Spiritfire seeds, which were supposed to have been collected!

Three fire seeds together, with the optimal conduit, exceeded all expectations!

Damn it, this was like a dream come true!

They'd planned to settle for second best, and now they'd received the top prize?!

After a brief hesitation, he decided not to intervene. His sense of duty as a Priest prevented him from interfering, even though he was bewildered. He remained silent, then looked at Mithra: "What are your plans?"

"Don't mind her; she's doing something she doesn't want to regret. Let her handle it; we'll settle our debt with you." Casually twirling the Unsheathed Staff, Mithra looked at the raging pillar of flame, then her gaze returned to Infeder.

"…It doesn't matter. If you were a member of the Fire Worship Sect, I would certainly recommend you become a Priest like myself. If you repent, my offer still stands," Infeder said, his eyes filled with admiration.

"I appreciate the offer, but I'm here to kill you," Mithra said earnestly, her casual tone as if she were collecting a delivery.

Infeder shook his head: "A pity… you don't realize the protection you received within the Flamescape, our concerns, and our limitations."

With that, a crimson-brown flame ignited on his body.

[Ravenous Flame · Fragment: A unique flame derived from the "Gluttonous Sin Flame." A fragment of the flame's source. It inherits the craving for consumption, evolving the ability to restore its essence through 'eating.' For flames, 'burning' is 'eating.']

"The 'Illusory Sin Flame,' which created the Flamescape, made it difficult for us to fully burn the flames early on. To prevent the illusion's master from awakening, we avoided doing so. That's why we couldn't unleash our full power within the illusion. But in reality, we have no such concerns."

Arrogance crossed Infeder's face.

"Your bestial nature, your uncontrolled divinity, can only be revealed as a joke under the flames. Our kind words don't mean we fear you. At this moment, you absolutely cannot defeat the power of my Ravenous Flame, arrogant and foolish Enchanting Land native; you have lost."

As the words left his mouth, a strong gust of wind suddenly blew from behind Infeder towards Mithra.

The flames burning on his body were carried by the wind towards Mithra, as if intending to reach her…

Infeder's eyes widened; his arrogance and composure vanished instantly.

It wasn't "as if"!

It was "actually trying to go"!

Scorching cracks, like burning wood, appeared on Mithra's skin; embers drifted from her body, weak flames burning stubbornly, not fiercely, yet tenaciously.

The moment these unique flames appeared, all surrounding flames, regardless of their properties, were drawn to her.

As if in worship…

["Ashes Flame Father": A Flame Father born from Skyfire, a gift from the world to the flames. The Flame Father was defeated by humanity; a foolish mortal grasped the power of the flames. The Flame Father remains only in legend; the final remnants are merely a handful of ashes. Even so, the ashes still burn, whispering a sigh from those embers.]

[——"I have been resurrected, yet I still don't know why destruction is meaningful to the world…"]

"Sorry, you talked a lot just now; the flames were too intense, I didn't hear you clearly," Mithra said, her face illuminated by the flames, glorious yet terrifying.